Preloaded bearing assemblies are well-known and common in the prior art. Often two tapered roller bearings (but, for example, also angular contact ball bearings, axial roller bearings, axial ball bearings) are tensioned against each other in order to achieve a clearance-free supporting, for example, of a shaft in a housing.
Setting the preload in a bearing assembly of the described type, in particular with the use of tapered and angular contact ball bearings, is a laborious and often inaccurate process. Here according to a first possibility it is attempted to set the correct preload such that the frictional torque of the bearing assembly is measured (a frictional-torque increase indicates an increase of the bearing preload), and upon reaching a predetermined value for the frictional torque by rotating a nut, then securing this nut against further twisting. Another method consists in measuring the individual components in the preload circuit and then generating the required preload path using a shim; the required preload path is then realized by tightening the nut against a stop defined by the shim, whereby the desired preload is generated.
However, the possibilities mentioned are either relatively inaccurate or very complex, with the result that there is a need for a method for setting the preload of a bearing assembly of the above-described type, which method is less complex but nonetheless delivers a sufficiently accurate result.